Policy Text
Policy
301Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
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Published with permission by Buena Park Police DepartmentCritical Incident Review Board - 1Critical Incident Review Board
301.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish the role and responsibilities of the Critical Incident Review
Board. The Critical Incident Review Board has two primary functions: First, the Critical Incident
Review Board will review the use of deadly force by members of this Department to determine
if the actions were within policy, or out of policy. Second, the Critical Incident Review Board will
review other critical and unusual incidents to learn from the incident and to determine if the training
and policies of the Department need to be modified or enhanced.
301.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This policy pertains to the following CALEA standards: 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 11.3.4
301.2 POLICY
The Buena Park Police Department will objectively evaluate the use of force by its members to
ensure that their authority is used lawfully, appropriately and is consistent with training and policy.
301.3 REMOVAL FROM LINE DUTY ASSIGNMENT
Generally, whenever an employee's actions or use of force in an official capacity, or while using
department equipment, results in death or very serious injury to another, that employee will be
placed in a temporary administrative assignment pending an administrative review. The Chief
of Police may exercise discretion and choose not to place an employee in an administrative
assignment in any case.
301.4 REVIEW BOARD
The Critical Incident Review Board will be convened when the use of force by a member results
in very serious injury or death to another.
The Critical Incident Review Board will also investigate and review the circumstances surrounding
every discharge of a firearm, whether the employee was on- or off-duty, excluding training or
recreational use.
The Chief of Police may request the Critical Incident Review Board to investigate the
circumstances surrounding any use of force incident.
The Captain in charge of the division opposite of the involved employee will convene the Critical
Incident Review Board as necessary. It will be the responsibility of the manager or supervisor
of the involved employee to notify their Captain of any incidents requiring board review. The
involved employee's manager or supervisor will also ensure that all relevant reports, documents
and materials are available for consideration and review by the board.
301.4.1 COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD
The Critical Incident Review Board shall be comprised of five (5) of the following persons:
•Division Captain (opposite of the involved employee)
Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
Critical Incident Review Board
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/06/10, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Buena Park Police DepartmentCritical Incident Review Board - 2•Professional Standards Sergeant
•Training Sergeant
•Department instructor for the specific weapon, device or technique used
•Non-administrative Sergeant
•A peer officer
•A sworn officer from an outside agency
•Legal Advisor (as needed).
A Captain will serve as chairperson. In the event one of the members of the Critical Incident
Review Board is in the chain of command of the involved employee(s), the Captain will assign a
substitute for that member of the Critical Incident Review Board. When reviewing critical incidents
involving civilian personnel, such as Dispatchers, Cadets, Civilian Supervisors and Managers; an
additional civilian representative may be added to the Critical Incident Review Board as needed.
A Captain will convene the Critical Incident Review Board as necessary or at the direction of the
Chief of Police. It will be the responsibility of the manager or supervisor of the involved employee(s)
to notify the appropriate Captain of any incidents requiring Critical Incident Review Board review.
The manager or supervisor will also ensure that all relevant reports, documents, and materials
are available for consideration and review by the Critical Incident Review Board. The involved
manager or supervisor will also notify the involved employee that the Critical Incident Review
Board will review the use of force incident or other critical incident prior to the Critical Incident
Review Board convening.
301.4.2 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD
The Critical Incident Review Board is empowered to conduct an administrative review and inquiry
into the circumstances of an incident. The member(s) involved in the incident under review,
will be interviewed by the Professional Standards Sergeant prior to the meeting of the Critical
Incident Review Board, in conjunction with the procedures established in Standards of Conduct
and Personnel Complaints policies.
The board members may request further investigation, request reports be submitted for the
board's review, call persons to present information and request the involved employee to appear.
The involved employee will be notified of the meeting of the board and may choose to have a
representative through all phases of the review process.
The board does not have the authority to recommend discipline.
The Chief of Police will determine whether the board should delay its review until after completion
of any criminal investigation, review by any prosecutorial body, filing of criminal charges, the
decision not to file criminal charges, or any other action. The board should be provided all relevant
available material from these proceedings for its consideration.
Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
Critical Incident Review Board
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/06/10, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Buena Park Police DepartmentCritical Incident Review Board - 3Absent an express waiver from the employee, no more than two members of the board may ask
questions of the involved employee (Government Code § 3303). Other members may provide
questions to